The Unusual Child
by BFreak
Summary: Ichimutsu Karaguwa has led a fairly normal life. That is, until she was age of 14. The day her friend decides to commit suicide is the day her life will be changed forever. But is that what her life's destined for? Or are there something more?
1. Prologue

Prologue

My name is Ichimutsu Karaguwa. My age? 14years old. School and grade? Middle school, year three. Growing up, I got a lot of attention due to my bright orange hair, and the main question I'm asked is if I bleached my hair or not. The only response they all ever got was that my orange hair was that it was natural hair color.

My best friend? That would be Harin Wong. But one thing I never understood and never will, would be why Harin bottled up her true feelings. I knew something was wrong, so I guess it was partially my fault for this happening.  
Harin's outburst. My brother Hogosha's shock. My school's sadness. My parents, that barely spent time with me and Hogosha, looking blank. I'll never forget any of it. This is my side of the story.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Ichimutsu, wake up," I heard my brother, Hogosha, say as he opened the curtains to let sun light in my room.

Pulling the bed sheet over my head, I mumbled, "Five more minutes, bro."

Hogosha tugged the bed sheet off, saying, "Get up right now! Breakfast is set on the table, and your school uniform is ironed and ready to go."

Sitting up and yawning, I asked, "Has mom and dad been out all night again last night?"

Nodding, he told me, "Sadly, yeah. Oh, by the way, Harin called not too long ago. Said she'll be here in about 10 minutes to walk with us to the middle school before I get to my high school." Walking out of my room, he added, "I put all your clothes, along with your socks and your shoes, by your desk. Hurry up and get dressed. Your eggs will get cold. As well as your pancakes."

When he got out of my room, I quickly got changed before I went down to the dining room with my school bag swung over my shoulder. Just before I entered the dining room, inside. I heard my mom's voice sheepishly say, "Hogosha, you're doing well taking care of your sister by yourself! You don't need me and your father to help you!"

"Ichimutsu needs more than just a male role model! Don't you get that she needs parental love as well? And don't give me the bullshit that you already have when she and I were born!" Hogosha yelled. To tell the truth, I never have seen or heard Hogosha like this before in my entire life.

Without warning, I heard my dad yell back, "Don't talk to your mother that way, young man!"

I quickly walked in as I asked, "Hogosha, can you just give me my karate clothes? I'll just walk to my karate class to see if I'll pass out of black belt today. You don't have to stop by my school, any ways." When Hogosha looked as though he was about to argue back, I quickly said, "If it's about me not eating, don't worry. Harin and I will stop by somewhere to get a quick bite. I'm pretty sure she won't mind." When I held out my hand, Hogosha slowly handed over my martial arts clothes to me and I told him with a weak smile, "Gomen! Love you, Hogosha-san!"

When I got outside, Harin, a girl with black hair and blue eyes, asked, "Is Hogosha-dono coming? Or no?"

"He had an argument with my mom and dad," I quickly told her. "Best if he walked over to the high school by himself to clear his head." Stuffing my martial arts uniform into the bag, I asked, "Is it alright if we stopped by a store to get myself a quick breakfast? I didn't get to eat anything before leaving." Harin nodded slightly as I closed my bag and we began to walk.

When we arrived at a bagel shop right by our school, the store owner laughed as he called, "Well! This is unusual! We have one of the two Karaguwa children as a customer! What would you like, Ichimutsu? This one's on the house!"  
I smiled weakly as I quickly said, "A plain bagel would do, sir."

As the owner went off to get a bagel for me, Harin asked, "What did your parents and Hogosha-dono get into a fight about this time? I mean, you did say you remember them fighting when you were younger, but not after a certain point in our elementary years."

When the owner gave me the bagel, I told him, "Thank you." Turning to look at Harin, I replied, "Truth be told, I don't know. I've never seen Hogosha-san like this before in my life."  
We walked towards the school building as I started to eat my bagel. All of a sudden, I felt a hand on my behind as one of the guys' voice whispered, "Hey, since it seems like your brother is out, how about we say we go out and then make out when school's over?"

Handing the half finished bagel over to Harin and grabbing the guy's wrist in a flash, I spun towards Harin, where the guy wasn't standing, and quickly stepped behind him with his wrist still in my grip. Throwing him down the ground, face flat on the ground, I whispered to him, "My brother may not be here, but both my karate teacher and Hogosha-san sure did a great job in teaching me martial arts, huh? Touch my behind ever again, I'll break your arm. And that goes for touching me anywhere inappropriately. Understood?"

When I let him go, he cried out with terror, "I'm so sorry, Karaguwa-dono!"

He ran away as fast as he could and everyone laughed hysterically as they all pointed at him. I took my bagel back as Harin told me, "You really gotta soften up, Ichimutsu."

Taking a big bite out of the bagel, I replied, "Sorry. Don't know the meaning of 'softening up' unless if it's Hogosha-san and our friends we're talking about, mate."

* * *

It seemed forever in order to get our mid-day break.

The second the break started, I got up and went up to my teacher. He just stared at me for awhile before he asked, "What is it, Karaguwa?"  
"Would it be alright if I left about thirty minutes after the break is over, Chang sensei?" I asked quickly. "It's just I have a martial arts test today to see if I pass out of black belt and I'm the first one to go, which is the second the school's out. Both my teacher and Hogosha-san suggested that I get there after break is over."

Sighing, he said, "Okay, but since you'll be here until thirty minutes after break is over, why don't you just go on and change now so you won't have to worry about changing later?"

I bowed as I cried out, "Thank you!" When I went back to my desk to get my martial arts clothes, I realized that Harin wasn't in her seat. After getting the outfit, I passed by the desk and there was a note that read:

"Goodbye, world. Forever this world behind, as well  
as pain and scarred life and worries.  
Ichimutsu, if you're reading this, please don't try  
to stop me."

Looking suspiciously at the note, I walked out of the classroom and towards the bathroom to get changed. On the way to the bathroom, the P.A. system went off and my school's principal was heard saying, "_Everyone, please report to the nearest classroom immediately! Everyone report to the nearest classroom immediately! Harin Wong is armed with a gun at the West Wing Hall! Everyone report to the nearest room!_"

I felt panic and fear starting to rise as I started to run towards the West Wing Hall. All I could think was, _Harin! Please don't shoot anyone! Why didn't you tell me at the very least, you moron? We've told each other everything! What happened?_  
When I reached the West Wing Hall, I found the hall completely empty. The only ones in the hall were two teachers, Harin, one other student and myself. Harin was swinging her arm that held the gun wildly around as she cried, "Get away from me! I swear I'll shoot!"

Stepping slowly towards Harin after dropping my karate clothes on the ground, I tried to say as calmly as possible, "Harin, put the gun down. Let's talk this out."

Harin pointed the gun at me as she screamed, "Stay away from me! I'll shoot you! Stay away!"

I started to panic even more as I hurriedly said with fear, "Harin! Put the gun down! I just want to talk friend to friend!" I continued to walk towards her as I said, "Please! I just want to talk this out with - !" Before I finished, I heard the gun go off. There was split moment of pain in my chest before everything around me went black. All felt dark and cold, and I was at some place lonely.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

When I opened my eyes, I heard adults yelling, "Hogosha! She's dead already! You can't do anything to at this point! She's dead! Ichimutsu's already dead! Do you hear what we're saying, young man?"

I heard Hogosha yelling, "She's not dead! She's my only sister! Only one I could consider to be my true family member! LET ME GO!"

I heard my friend Kieth Nosko yelling with pain, "She's dead! Give it up, Hogosha! Nothing can bring her back to life!"

I heard Hogosha then crying out with disbelief, "Ichimutsu!"

"You yelling is not gonna help! Give it up! It's too late! Harin already shot Ichimutsu and herself to death! What's done is done!" I heard my teacher yell with frustration. "Let it go, Karaguwa! Your sister died trying to save the entire school and her best friend!"

I slowly stood up and walked over to Hogosha, Kieth and the group of adults, waving a hand in front of each of their eyes. Only one who seemed to see me was Hogosha. I started to freka out as I said, "Kieth? Chang sensei? Can't you see me? Can't you hear me?" Looking over to Hogosha, I asked with panic, "Hogosha-san? Can you? Can you see me and hear me?"

I felt my brother's hand on mine before he screamed, "NO!" He fell on the ground as he cried his eyes out. All he could yell was, "Why? Why me out of all the people! I don't want this! I don't NEED this!"

Out of terror, I started to run and went straight to my karate school. Forgetting to stop to open the door, I shut my eyes tight, hoping to hear a crash. Instead, when I opened my eyes, I saw my class. They were all weeping and my teacher punched a wall, causing a crack to appear. I heard him yell, "Why? Out of all the people, why Ichimutsu Karaguwa? What has the girl done wrong for her life to be taken away by a gun shot?"

I yelled as loud as I could, "Can't anyone see or hear me?" I hoped they were all playing some sick joke on me, but no one replied. No one even looked in my way. They didn't even smile. Crying, I whispered, "Hogosha, why are you the only one?"

When I started to turn to leave, I heard Hogosha's voice quietly ask, "Sensei? Can I take all of Ichimutsu's trophies? I was hoping to put them in her room to make it seem more lively." When my teacher nodded and painfully handed a box of all my trophies in it, Hogosha looked over slightly to me as he said, "Arrigato, sensei. Ichimutsu's funeral will be the day after tomorrow." Bowing, he left the building, slowly, as though he was waiting for me to follow.

Days have passed and I followed Hogosha around from far behind. At home, I always sat on a tree outside his window. I watched almost all his moves, until one late afternoon, someone sneaked up behind me. I hear a male voice say, "You have too much of a high spiritual energy. Stay in this world any longer, you'll be either attacked by hollows or become a hollow yourself. I'll send you to somewhere more peaceful than this world. Say goodbye to this world for you'll be going to Soul Society." Before I could say anything or turn to see the person's face, he had already given me a tap on the head with a hilt of some sort of sword. I soon was covered in white light and my home town was gone. In blink of an eye, I was sitting in middle of a town somewhere and people were wearing what looked like rags passed me by.

* * *

One of the people passing by stopped and looked down at me as she said, "Never seen you around here before. Are you new, child?"

Looking around, I clutched my chest as I asked painfully, "Am I dead, lady? Is this an aferlife?" When the woman nodded with slight confusion, I slammed a fist into the ground as I screamed, "NO! I was supposed to save Harin's life! And I can't do something as simple as saving my own! I was supposed to look over Hogosha-san, damnit!" Clutching my head, I burrowed my face between my legs as I remained sitting and started to shake a bit from trying to keep calm.

I suddenly felt another presence near me and I heard an unfamiliar female voice say, "Ma'am, leave this young one to me." When the woman left, the person that asked the woman to leave handed me a hilt of some sort of a sword as she said, "You still have a chance to save more people, Ichimutsu. You take this zanpakuto right now, and you'll be able to attend school to learn how to protect many lives."

Without looking up at her, I hissed, "Who are you?"

She replied, "I'm your zanpakuto spirit. If you refuse to become a shinigami, and refuse to undergo the education and training to become one, I'll be gone forever."

I stared at the hilt, finally starting to accept the fact that I was dead, and I asked her quietly, "If I take this so-called zanpakuto and you live what, what do I get in exchange?"

"You'll be able to go back and forth between this world and the World of Living as many times as you wish," she replied. "As well as protecting others. You do want to protect your brother and your remaining friends. Do you not, Ichimutsu Karaguwa?" When I took the hilt, she smiled at me and started to disappear as she told me, "Call me Takikanto. You can call upon me by asking me to come out in my panther form, or in my creature of day and night. Either the shinigami form or human form. I'm looking forward to working with you."

As she disappeared, a blade appeared on the hilt. The further the blade's edge was away from the hilt, the wider the length from side to side and sharper the blade had become. On the wide part of the blade, a faint marking of a yin-yang circle appeared. I felt a pair of hands grabbing my arms just then as a female voice sternly said, "You're coming with us for being in a possession of a zanpakuto."

When I looked up, there were two people, a man and a woman, that were wearing clothes that were most unique thing I have ever seen. White inner shirt, black shirt on top of that, along with black hakama pants, almost as though kendo type of outfits, white belts, white socks and straw sandals. As they dragged me towards the center, I held tightly onto my zanpakuto and cried out, "Wait! What did I do? What's so bad about me being in possession of a zanpakuto?"

The male, who was to my left, snapped, "You have a zanpakuto and since souls just can't go around having a zanpakuto that easily, you must have stolen it."

"Because of that, we're taking you to the Second Division," the female continued. "The division that is in charge of anything theft related to things, as well as assassinations."

On the way, we bumped into a man with a long white jacket that appeared to be some sort of a haori and long white hair. This man even looked a bit sickly, but that didn't seem to bother him. All he did was just stare at me with blank look for awhile before he looked at the two people holding my arms, "Is there a problem?"

The two people quickly saluted at this man as they cried out in unison, "Good day, Captain Ukitake, sir!"

The guy with long white hair, apparently Ukitake, nodded in reply at the salute as he said, "As I said, is there a problem?"

"This girl seemed to have stolen a zanpakuto, Captain Ukitake," the female replied.

Holding tightly onto the zanpakuto, I snapped, "I didn't steal Takikanto from anyone! How the hell am I supposed to take anything from anyone when I just got here from the World of Living? I don't even know where the bloody hell I am! All I know is that this place could be the so-called Soul Society!" When the two people tried to take my zanpakuto away, I clutched even tighter onto it as I yelled, "Creature of Day and Night, Shinigami form!"

A female who looked almost exactly like me appeared as she wore the same black and white outfit as Ukitake and the other two, she quickly pulled me out of the grasp of the two people as she said with bit of a panic, "Please don't take it away from her! I'm her zanpakuto spirit! She didn't take it from any shinigami! It wasn't too long ago she arrived here in Soul Society! Really!"

Ukitake smiled as he told the two shinigamis, which what they apparently were, "I'll take her to my office and have a little chat with her. You two go off to Soi Fon and just tell her, if she asks, that this zanpakuto was a fake. Let's keep it as our little secret about this actually being a real zanpakuto." When the two shinigamis walked away, Ukitake handed me some sort of cloak as he said, "Put that on. I was planning to give that to a young man named Ichigo Kurosaki to keep his spiritual energy concealed so that he won't have to worry so much about one of our captains here, but you need it the most since you're inexperienced in fighting the way we do." When I put the cloak on without hesitation, Ukitake sternly asked, "What is your your name and your intention of being here in Soul Society, though?"

"My name is Ichimutsu Karaguwa. And my intention to stay in Soul Society is to protect the ones I couldn't protect," I replied. "And so many more."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Ukitake took me in as one of his comrades and sent me to school. I never thought this could happen, but I was actually learning how to be a shinigami. Me! A shinigami! I never imagined an afterlife could ever be like this! But the thing was, ever since what had happened when I was a human, I had isolated myself and Takikanto from everyone except Ukitake just so we won't be able to get hurt emotionally in any way.

Everyday, when I went back to Thirteenth Division Headquarters from Shinigami Academy, and every night, before I went to sleep late at night, it was always the same routine. I practiced with no end and the white part of the yin-yang circle appeared, but barely did it form. When it was time to eat dinner, Ukitake would just stand by the door of the training room I used waiting for me. After two hours, he would give up on waiting and went to do his work. Before he went to sleep, he stopped by as he asked while yawning, "Aren't you going to your room to sleep, Ichimutsu?"

Panting, I would always reply, "Not until I'm done with my training for today, sir."

"Don't work yourself too hard, Ichimutsu. You're still so young and have so many things to learn," Ukitake told me. "Well, good night, Ichimutsu."

Approximately a year has passed, the white part of the yin-yang has fully formed and my shikai achieved. I never told Ukitake about it, but I continued with the training, and about another half a year has passed with all the continuous training. It was matter of time before the black part of the yin-yang had formed, and it was then when the bankai was accomplished, but only to the weakest point. When the circle had fully formed, Takikanto said, "Let's see your bankai now, Ichimutsu. The release is, 'Roar for me, Takikanto'."

Just as Ukitake walked in to tell me to eat my dinner, I cried out, "Roar for me, Takikanto! BANKAI!" My zanpakuto immediately went from sealed state into a sword, the blade completely changing shape as the sharp edge curved down ward slightly with the edge that wasn't as sharp turned into what appeared to be part of waves of the ocean.

Takikanto smiled with satisfaction before she patted me on the shoulder, saying, "You've done so much this past year and a half." She looked over to Ukitake as she told him, "I've trained her how to use even bankai, so from here on out, she's all yours when it comes to training her for other things, Captain Ukitake."

Ukitake smiled as he clapped and he asked, "Why didn't you tell me you were training to use shikai and bankai with no end, Ichimutsu?"

"Sorry I didn't tell you sooner, dad" I replied with a weak laugh. Even calling him 'dad' came out with almost no thought, and I hadn't even realized that I did. Yet again, this wasn't the first time. I have been calling him that for nearly a year now. "I guess I didn't want you to fuss over it."

"It's remarkable you managed to accomplish bankai and shikai in a year and a half," he told me. "It usually takes way more than ten years, seeing bankai alone takes ten years right there." His eyes lit up and took a letter out of his pocket. Handing it to me, he said, "Your teacher stopped by earlier and asked me to give this to you."

Takikanto read the letter over my shoulder. It wasn't long before I asked Ukitake without looking up at you, "Is this letter a joke? Don't I need to more training from the school?" Looking up at him, I cried out, "Why some time later this month? None of my other classmates are expected to graduate early! Are they?"

For a split second, he looked startled and took the letter from me to read it. He was reading it over and over several times before he said, "I'll ask your teacher about this tomorrow when ou come back to the Thirteenth Squad." He then looked up at me with a smile, saying, "How would you like to go visit your grave? It's been a year and a half since you arrived here to Soul Society."

Frowning slightly, I quietly said, "That's right. Six months ago today was the day I actually died." Looking up at Ukitake, I asked, "Can we? I've been wanting to go back to my home town for quite awhile."

Ukitake nodded and motioned me to follow him. We stopped by his office and he quickly got what looked like a dead body before we actually went outside. He slammed a hand ot the ground and a doorway appeared. Before opening the door, he asked, "Did you leanr how to form a hell butterfly yet?" When I nodded, he quickly said, "Form it right now. And make sur eyou have Takikanto inside the zanpakuto before we step through the gateway of the Senkai."

When Takikanto disappeared into the blade, Ukitake and I quickly formed our hell butterflies before we went through the doors. When we found ourselves in a short hallway, I asked, "What are the hell butterflies for?"

"To keep us safe from the Janitor while we're in here when the Janitor cleans," Ukitake informed me. "And it's thanks to you that I'll be seeing the World of Living for first time in who knows how long."

As we stepped through the doors at the end of the short hall, we realized that we realized we were starting to fall from high up in the sky, and it wasn't long before Ukitake took my hand to shunpo up higher. We stayed up there for awhile before slowly walking as we descended into the grounds. Just as our feet touched the ground in front of the cemetery not too long later, I saw my parents drive by and past the cemetery and all I could mutter without thinking was, "Bastards. Some parents they are." When Ukitake had a confused look on his face, I quickly told him, "They're my parents. Never cared much for me and my brother Hogosha." I could have told that he wanted to ask something, but held himself back as he gave me a small nod.

I practically danced around all the way to my grave. When we reached my grave, I heard Ukitake read aloud to himself, "Here lies Ichimutsu Karaguwa. A great sister, a great friend, and a great hero to this very town's middle school. Risked her own life to save many. Forever may you rest in peace." Ukitake told me without taking his eyes off the tombstone, "You must be honored here in this town so much."

Shrugging, I replied. "Maybe. There was not a single person who walked around in this town without knowing the names of Karaguwa children. We were most well known children in the town and all the students in this town feared us. All except for our close friends."

When we heard footsteps, Ukitake quickly got into the body he brought with him before he smoothed out his jeans and button down shirt. The footsteps stopped right behind us as we heard Kieth's voice ask with shock, "Ichimutsu? Ichimutsu Karaguwa?" He laughed weakly as he said, "Sorry. Of course you're not her. She died over a year ago so you can't be her."

I quietly asked without looking back at him, "Are you Kieth Nosko?"

He immediately stopped laughing as he asked, "How do you know my name?"

When Ukitake started to say something, I interrupted him by asking Kieth, "That's not the question that should be asked." Turning to look at Kieth with horror, I asked, "The question is how can you see me? Last year, when I asked if you could see or hear me, you didn't even reply! Instead, you held Hogosha-san back, saying I was dead!"

Kieth looked horrified for a short while as well, but soon smiled from ear to ear as he said, "I knew it! I actually could see the dead now!" He ran up and hugged me around my waist to life me up and spun me around. When I was put back on the ground, Kieth buried his face into my hair as he quietly told me, "I never thought you'd come to this town, Ichimutsu. I missed you so much."

When Takikanto appeared behind Kieth in her panther form, I quickly pushed Kieth to the side and got in front of him as I cried out, "Takiaknto! No! He's a good friend of mine!"

Takikanto stared at Kieth with murderous look in her eyes, as though she didn't trust him at all. Kieth stood behind me, terrified, as he asked, "Is it really a good idea to be here with a wild panther?"

Not paying much attention to Kieth, I snapped, "Creature of Day and Night, Human form! Now!" Takikanto quickly turned herself into a human, which, like her shinigami form, looked a lot like me.

Takikanto snapped, "Are you sure it's a good idea to trust him?"

Nodding, I told her, "I'm sure." Turning to Ukitake, I said, "Ukitake taicho, thank you for bringing me here tonight, but I'm ready to get back to Soul Society. Takikanto and I need to train more tonight."

Ukitake cried out, "Oh, no! We're not going back just yet, young lady! We have to get your body out of here so we could turn it into a gigai!" Looking around, I heard him mutter, "I know several other shinigamis left a shovel somewhere around here in the past."

As Ukitake walked around a little, Kieth asked me, "Are you here to stay, Ichimutsu?"

Shaking my head, I told him, "Sorry, but no."

Takikanto growled, "She has her own life to think about in Soul Society, kid. She's a shinigmai, not a living, breathing person."

I cried out, "Oh, for crying out loud! Why are you being so harsh on my old friend?" I turned to Kieth as I told him, "But she's right, Kieth. I can't stay in this world."

Ukitake handed me and Takikanto shovels as he said, "We need to get back to Soul Society soon so let's get digging right away, you two."

Before I took the shovel, I faced Kieth and formed a symbol as I cried, "Demon Binding Spell, Number One!" Quickly taking a shovel, I told Takikanto, "Try to cover his mouth so we don't attract attention in getting my body." As Takikanto did as asked by tying a cloth over his mouth, Ukitake and I started Digging my grave. As we got closer to the coffin, I quickly asked, "Ukitake taicho, is a gigai really necessary? And why are we digging up my body?"

"Your body is going to be used as a gigai, but we'll have to fix it up," Ukitake explained. "And gigai is necessary if you want to interact with people who don't have quadruple threats like your friend over there. After all, finding people with quadruple threat is hard to find." When we opened up the coffin, Ukitake picked up my body as he told me and Takikanto, "Let's go back to Soul Society. Ichimutsu, don't forget to make sure you have Takikanto back in your zanpakuto and form a hell butterfly while I make an entrance for us."

I untied the cloth from Kieth's mouth and undid the binding spell. I said, "Takikanto, get back into the zanpakuto. You heard 'dad'. We'll be leaving as soon as he sets up an entrance to Soul Society." As Takikanto disappeared back into the blade, I placed a hand on Kieth's shoulder as I said quietly, "I guess it's time to say goodbye again, Kieth."

Kieth hurriedly grabbed my hands as he begged with terrified look on his face, "Ichimutsu! Please! Don't go!"

Ukitake called, "Ichimutsu! Let's go before the Thirteenth Division gets worried about us! We'll eat dinner while working on you gigai!"

"Be right there, 'dad'!" I called back. Looking back at Kieth, I hurriedly told him, "I have to go, Kieth. I'm sorry."

As I got up to leave, Kieth cried out, "I love you! I've always loved you! I was afraid of your brother to tell you before, Ichimutsu!"

I turned to look at him, and it was then that one certain person had come into mind. Shuhei Hisagi, the lieutenant of the Ninth Squad. 69 tattoo on left cheek, three scars going down over his right eye and down his right cheek. Slightly spiky, black hair. A choker and an armband that looked the same around his neck and around his right arm. I couldn't help myself but softly reply back to Kieth, "I'm sorry that I can't say the same. My heart's gone to someone else that's over in Soul Society the past year and a half I've been dead."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

One night, I woke up screaming like I have been for over a year. Nearly two years now, to be exact. Panting heavily, I looked around myself and realized I was only in the dark training room in the Thirteenth Headquarters. Takiaknto was in her panther form and she was sound asleep right by the door. As I walked past her and out of the training room quietly, Takikanto just shifted her head slightly as she remained curled up and asleep. I had started wandering around in the Soul Society and somehow ended up in the Ninth Division Headquarters. I didn't notice I went into the building, let alone notice someone being right behind me, until I heard a male voice ask, "Are you here to cause Ninth Division trouble, miss?"

When I turned to look to see who it was, it was too dark to see the man's face as I stammered, "N-no, sir. Of c-course not." Starting to shake my head fearfully not too long after, I slowly started to back away from him. Just then, I saw Takikanto jumping over me from behind me in her panther form. Landing in front of me, she bared her sharp teeth as she started to growl at him warningly. Almost too protectively as she got down low as though she was about to pounce on him as well. I quickly got on her back and said with a panic, "Let's go back before the captain finds out we've left the headquarters for awhile!" Takikanto glared at the man for a brief moment before starting to run. When I glanced back, the man didn't even seem as though he was trying to cause any harm, but rather talk. In the moonlight, I thought I even caught glimpse of a lieutenant badge on his arm, but who knows? I was still somewhat tired.

By the time Takikanto and I got back, we found the twelfth seat waiting for us. At our arrival, he quickly told me, "I saw you leaving from the building, Ichimutsu-dono! Is everything alright?"

Nodding, I quietly told him, "Go back to your room and get some sleep. You look tired. And do me a favor by not telling Ukitake taicho about this."

* * *

About a month have passed and I finally graduated out of Shinigami Academy. As soon as I was out of the school, Ukitake had me come into his office. Sittin me down across from him at his desk, he asked, "Now that you've graduated out of the academy, have you thought about which squad you would want to join, Ichimutsu?"

I nodded, replying, "I've been looking into several divisions, more Fourth than others not counting the Thirteenth. But the more I think about it, the Thirteenth is my first choice, Ukitake taicho. Always has and always will be."

Ukitake smiled weakly as he told me, "I would love to have you in my division. You know I would. But you have to now goo out on your own. You have great potential, especially with having managed to accomplish bankai."

"Please Ukitake taicho!" I started to beg. "I'm going to be turning 16 next week! At least for my 16th birthday! As a present! You know I don't ask for much! Please let me into your division!"

Sighing, Ukitake muttered, "Why do I have such a weak spot in heart for children when I should be stern with them?" He looked at me with uncertainty, but says, "For a year, I'll be observing you. I know you've done a lot already while I let you stay in the headquarters, but prove yourself worthy within a year. And then I'll talk it over with Genryusai sensei about letting you into my division. Now, of you go back to training."

I quickly left and started to head towards a traininig ground for all divisions. On the way, I bumped into the Eighth Squad's captain, Shunsui Kyoraku, and he immediately stopped me in my tracks. Looking down at me, I didn't give him a chance to get a good look at me or say anything as I quickly lowered my head, mumbling, "Sorry, captain. I'll be on my way for training." With just that, I quickly took off before he could say anything.

It didn't take long for me to get to the training grounds and I heard a voice calling not too far off, "Karaguwa!" When I turned to look, Kyoraku's vice, Ise Nanao, was running up to me.

Bowing with respect, I asked, "Did you need anything, Ise fukutaicho?"

Nodding, she told me, "Have you seen my captain? He has something I need, and which I've been asked to give to someone, but he took off without a warning. I thought you might know where he is right now, because I need to get to my captain as soon as possible."

Looking off in the direction of the Thirteenth Headquarters, I told her, "I actually bumped into him on the way here. By the looks of it, it seemed as though hew as actually heading towards the thirteenth to talk to Ukitake taicho."

"Thanks, Karaguwa," Nanao said quickly. Before running off, she added, "Also, if you decide to turn down offers given to you on joining other squads, please do consider joining the Eighth. We've heard a lot of great things about you. You're quite the surprise for a teenage child."

Once she was gone, I went inside and found two or three people already inside, fighting each other as their training, I began to take notes on each of their fighting skills. Just as I started to finish up not too long after, I heard a voice yelling, "Notes ain't gonna help you with anything! Only experience itself will!"

I saw a blade thrown right at me and I quickly ducked, managing to avoid the attack. Continuing with writing, I said, "This is one of the ways I learn. However, live experiences are different matter for me."

Another blade struck right by my head as the man that had yelled cried out, "Fight instead of writing, you foolish girl!"

I finished up notes before putting my notes and pen away. Getting up, I took out my zanpakuto and said, "I'm done with taking notes, so let's see what you lot got."

A man with extremely shaggy black hair attacked me from my left and I quickly blocked his attack out o fear of having the place that I got shot at giving me an extremely bad injury. Laughing, he told me, "I'm impressed with how sharp you are!"

His voice sounded familiar from somewhere, but I shook off the feeling that I knew him from somewhere. Fighting him back, I said, "I'll take that as a compliment." As I continued on one-on-one fight with him, I managed to get him into the light to get a better look at his face. To my surprise, he looked only about 16 years of age, and his brown eyes were filled with excitement and glee. About the fight perhaps? Who knows, but even I, myself, will never ask. The only thing that got me even more worked up about this fight was that he possibly may also be a wielder of twin zanpakutos. Yet again, he could just be good at fighting with two blades combats for all I knew.

I don't know that if it was because he forgot that we were in middle of a fight or if it was because he was trying to distract me by being flattering, but he leaned in as he cooed, "Now that I take a closer look at you, you actually looked pretty cute."

Quickly jumping back about six feet as a precaution, I asked, "Do you mean that sincerely or do you say that to all girls you fight to distract them about of flattery?"

He seemed a little taken aback as he cried out, "I was telling the truth! I don't throw that comment around carelessly!" Sighing, he muttered something under his breath and his zanpakuto turned into claws around his hands. Suddenly, black portals started to appear everywhere just as he disappeared, and I felt my spiritual energy slowly starting to seep away from me. Quickly holding onto as much energy as I could, I didn't notice that he had gone into a portal and disappeared as his voice began to say, "My zanpakuto allows me to teleport to anywhere I wish, so you had better keep your guards up."

I closed my eyes to keep my focus, not only on keeping my energy to myself, but also to try and protect myself from his attacks when he appeared right by me. But my timing was slightly off, because he appeared in front of me without warning and stabbed me in the stomach with his claws. I lost some of my energy due to shock, but took control of it before I shunpo'd backwards and around him in blink of an eye. Jumping and spinning 360-degrees to kck him in the head several times, I had already started to cough up blood. Standing as best as I could, I told him, "Is that all you have? I can still fight, so let's get going with this!"

Placing a hand over the parat of the head where I had kicked him, he turned to look at me, crying out, "Oh, no! I'm not fighting anyone who's half dead! I'm taking you to the Fourth Division right now!"

Starting to lose energy, I muttered, "Takikanto, your panther form." I let go of the spiritual energy I could no longer hold onto and I started to fall forward. Takikanto appeared in front of me in time as a panther to catch me, and I held onto her as best as possible. Everything started to become blurry and I soon began to cough up blood even more. I sensed Takikanto's worry, but took my focus away from her as I muttered, "Crap. This can't be good if everything's blurry and if I'm keep coughing up blood."

Just then, I felt a hand on my back and the guy I was fighting asked me with tone of slight worry, "Are you alright?"

Nodding weakly, I forced out the words, "Yeah. I'll be okay." Hitting Takikanto on the side, I snapped, "And as for you, stop being so edgy for once! Now let's go to Fourth Division before Ukitake taicho finds out about what happened during the training."

The guy seemed nervous about Takikanto as he quickly told me, "Look. I was the one who put you in this state, so I'll take you there." At first, he didn't seem to be sure about how to carry me, but soon picking me up and holding me in his arms, he called to the other two shinigamis, "Sorry, guys, but I'll have to leave at the moment! I need to take this girl to the Fourth Squad to get her healed up!" As he left with me in his arms and Takikanto following not to far behind, he told me, "My name is," but before he was even able to tell me his name, I had already passed out. Everything around me had gone pitch black and cold.

But it was matter of seconds before I heard my middle school's principal's voice cry out in the P.A. system, _"Everyone, please report to the nearest classroom immediately! Everyone report to the nearest classroom immediately! Harin Wong is armed with a gun at the West Wing Hall! Everyone report to the nearest room!"_

I opened my eyes and looked around and saw that I was back in my middle school, and when I had looked down at my clothes, iti was my school uniform rather than my shinigami outfit. I even held my martial arts uniform in my hands, and even though I was slightly lost, I immediately started running towards the West Wing Hall. When I reached where Harin, one other student and two teachers were, the first thing I noticed was that Harin was holding a gun as she swung her arms around violently, screeching, "Get away from me! I swear I'll shoot!"

I dropped my martial arts clothes on the ground and slowly started to walk towards Harin. Keeping my voice calm and steady, I said, "Harin, put the gun down. Let's talk this out!"

Turning to me, Harin pointed the gun at me, aiming it directly at my chest, as she screeched, "Stay away from me! I'll shoot you! Stay away!"

I started to panic and my speaking rate increased as I cried out, "Harin! Put the gun down! I just want to talk friend to friend!" Continuing to walk towards her, I added, "Please! I just want to talk this out with – !" The sound of a gunshot went off and I sat up in a bed, screaming with horror. Takikanto, who was still in her panther form, woke up from her sleep at the foot of the bed I was in and just stared at me with curiosity. When I held out my arms towards her, she quickly got off the bed and came over to my right side. As she stood on her hind legs while placing her front paws on the edge of the bed, I hugged her tightly around the neck, Takikanto started to growly quietly with worry and I whispered in shaky tone, "I want the dream to end, Takikanto. I don't want to dream of that day that Harin shot me to my death! I want my fear of what happened to go away!" Suddenly, I felt surge of sharp pain go through my body from my stomach and I muttered through gritted teeth with pain, "Creature of Day and Night, Shinigami form."

Takikanto quickly got into a shinigami form before helping me lie back down. As she soothed my hair, she muttered, "Don't put too much strain in your stomach. Your nerves have been damaged for the time being due to being stabbed there. You were lucky that the male shinigami brought you here in time to get your nerves to go back to normal in matter of days. If not, several weeks with help from the Fourth Division. By the way, Unohana taicho will be working with you more than her memebers will be."

Just then, I realized that the room was dark, with the lights from outside coming through the window being the special exceptions. Holding my stomach, I asked, "Is it night time?" When Takikanto nodded in the darkness, I asked, "How long have I been knocked out cold?"

"About three day and several hours," Takikanto told me as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "And Captain Ukitake came in here every day, every several hours, worried about you. He barely got any sleep past three days by the looks of it. And that guy you fought is asleep outside the door right now. He didn't get any sleep either by the looks of it."

Suddenly, the door opened and lights from the hall came in. We heard a boy's voice say rather nervously, "Is she up yet?"

I turned my head to ace the boy as I weakly told him, "You afraid o me to come all the way in, kid? I can't fight with the state I'm in right now, you know."

The kid flickered on the lights and I saw that he was a young looking child with black hair that came up to his chin. He even looked as though he had bag under his eyes. With slightly startled look on his ace, he cried out, "You're awake!" He soon ran out of the room as he cried out as loud as he could, "Captain Unohana! Captain Unohana! She's awake! She's finally awake! CAPTAIN UNOHANA!" When the boy was gone, Takikanto just shook her head with a small laugh.

Before I could say anything to Takikanto, someone else entered the room. When I took a better look, I realized it was the guy I had fought. As he came over with a smile, I asked, "Did you get any sleep? You look extremely tired."

Chucjling, he said, "Well, you're worried about everyone else before yourself when you're the one that's injured." He picked up something from the bedside table as he asked, "You of the Thirteenth Squad?"

I just stared up at him with a blank look as I replied, "I'm hoping Ukitake taicho would talk it out with Captain Commander to let me in his division, if that's what you actually mean."

I suddenly Ukitake's voice cry out, "Ichimutsu!"

Smiling brightly, I said in cheerful tone, "Hi, dad!" Takikanto quickly got up on her feet and bowed to Ukitake as I told him, "You really shouldn't worry about me, dad! You know yourself that I have strong spirit! Any way, Takikanto always has my back."

Suddenly, the guy quickly turned to leave and shoved soemthing into Ukitake's chest when Ukitake hurried forward. I heard the guy hiss at Ukitake, "Make the choice, captain. IT's either letting her look after herself and have her to try and join the squad I'm in, or actually letting her become one of the higher up ranks in your division. I heard that the Central 46 is even thinking of giving hr even better position. Think about it carefully. The girl's got great potential."

When the guy was gone, I asked, "What does he mean by me being onf the higher ups, dad? As swell as the mention of the Central 46?"

"You were suggested to me continuously during the time period you were passed out that I allow you to be my lieutenant," Ukitake explained. "Ever since, I starated looking after you, Central 46 has been observing you without letting me know either. Even you managing to use bankai in only a year and a half impressed them. They were even pleased with how hard you trained, as well as your dedication. About three days ago, Kyoraku had come to my office to talk to me. Ever since Kaien Shiba died, no one had been able to promoted to replace him as my lieutenant. His sister, Kukaku, met with me after Kuchiki Rukia, Sixth Division captain's little sister, broke the news of Kaien's death to his sister and brother, and Kukaku asked me to ind someone to replace him because that's what he would have wanted when the day of his death came."

"And what does all this have to do with me?" I asked with mixture of slight suspicion, confusion and curiosity.

Ukitake handed me a badge, saying, "The Central 46 has asked me to give you this lieutenant badge. That is, if you were willing to serve as vice captain of my squad."

Taking the badge and staring at it, I asked, "This is a joke, right? I mean, as of now, I'm the least experienced shinigami in Soul Society. Don't I need to serve for a longer period of time beore getting a position such as this? Don't I need more experience?"

"As true as that may be," Ukitake replied, "but the Central 46 now sees you as a shinigmai that is able to be equally ranked as us captains. Even if you have to get tested, for this seat of being my lieutenant, they're willing to let it be looked over and have you take the seat if you're willing."

Putting the badge on the bedside table, I quietly said, "I'll tell you in a few days. I want to think several things out first, even if I do want to be in your squad."

Ukitake merely nodded and started to leave my room to let me rest. Just before he left, however, he told me, "Cihimutsu, that guy you fought, Lutheran, had his heart in the right place. I don't know if he knew, or even knows, that you're the shinigami that's being talked about for graduating only about a year or two after your arrival in Soul Society. He has good heart and has pretty sharp eyes or recognizing that you have great potential. If you decide to trun down the offer to be my vice, at least give a second thought to joining Zaraki's squad, the Eleventh Division, since his division is all about fighting. If not, the squad Lutheran is in, which is the Ninth. Or maybe even the Eighth Division. It would make me feel at more ease that you are under at least the care of Hisagi and his members, or under Kyoraku's care, to say the least, if you don't end up with me in my squad."

A woman with long black hair that had been braided in front of her, who I recognized as Unohana Retsu, the captain of the Fourth Squad, entered the room and exchanged small nods with Ukitake as he left, and Takikanto told me, "Accept the offer, Sixteen. You're always saying how you want to be in the Thirteenth Squad. By taking up the offer that you've been given, you finally can get in so easily."

I closed my eyes as I told her, "I don't know. It just seems unfair to the squad that only a sixteen year old kid is their vice when they have been in the division for so much longer than I have been in Soul Society."

As Unohana started to heal me up, she told me, "Karaguwa, I heard that you might even get promoted to be a captain for Third, Fifth or Ninth Division of your choice. I'm impressed. You're quite the shinigami for your age."

Smiling sweetly as best as posssible up at Unohana, I simply said, "Thank you, captain."

* * *

It was matter of days before I completely got healed up and was able to get out of the Fourth Division headquarters. As Takikanto and I started to train in order for me to get back into shape, Takikanto asked me, "Are you going to take the offer or not, Sixteen?"

Sighing, I told her, "I don't know. I imean, really? Me? Become a vice? Let alone a captain! At MY age? It's kind of ridiculous."

"True," Takikanto said and attacked me from my right. As I quickly blocked, she added, "But you really want to join the Thirteenth Division, don't you? This may be your only chance of getting in. And everyone in the division is already adding 'dono' to your name. You already gained so much of their respect, Ichimutsu!" When Takikanto still saw I was indecisive, she sighed, saying, "Fine. How about the division of that guy you fought? You heard Captain Unohana. If you wanted, you can become the captain of that Squad. And with that Shuhei Hisagi guy around, it shouldn't be that hard since he can help you out as your lieutenant. He seems to know what he's doing around the squad, any way. Plus, he knows the members quite well too."

Shaking my head, I replied, "Don't think so. I don't even know exactly what that division is all about, any way. And don't even suggest Third or Fifth Divisions. I mean, that Izuru Kira guy and Hinamori Momo girl both seem as though they're nice lieutenants, but those two division don't really catch my attention. I mean, c'mon. Third seems to be about despair. Fifth is more for those that are extremely good with kido. I may be good with kido, but I want to focus more on swordsmanship."

"Fine. How about the Eleventh Squad, then?" Takikanto said. "They're all about fighting. They're practically all about attacking and offense!"

Shaking my head, I replied, "My passion is not fighting, Takikanto. It's defending."

As Takikanto and I continued with the training, she growled with frustration, "You're making it real hard for me to actually get you to decide on which division to get into then, Sixteen. You're good with healing and medications, but I know you won't go into that. You want to be in the Thirteenth, but you refuse to take the lieutenant seat. You could become a captain for either Third, Fifth or Ninth in the replacement of the traitors, but you think you're not ready for it, even with having achieved bankai. And you don't know which other squads you'd be good for. Make up your mind, won't you?"

"If you think it's that easy, why don't you try it, then?" I snapped.

Takikanto rolled her eyes as she started to attack viciously again, saying, "You've got to choose between the thirteen squad, Sixteten."

"I don't know!" I cried out as I continuously blocked all her attacks. "I want to be in the Thirteenth, but not the easy way in! I don't want to have to be unfair to others!"

"What's so unfair, Sixteen?" Takikanto growled. "You've been working harder than anyone else! Central 46 wouldn't have chosen you otherwise and say that you're worthy to take up even one of the captain rankings! If not the Third or Fifth, at least the Ninth! If no one of those three, at least the vice seat for the Thirtetenth! Captain Ukitake needs a vice as well, and you know it! You know well as the next that he won't admit it to himself either!" When she saw hesitation flicker through my eyes, she sighed. "How about just act as a lieutenant until you're certain, then?"

As we came to a halt, I started to get lost in thoughts, muttering, "Act as a lieutenant? That actually may work."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Ukitake seemed relieved about the fact that I didn't want to be a lieutenant, but glad at the same time that I wanted to act as a lieutenant until he was able to find a proper lieutenant to take up the seat when he was ready to replace his old voice. At least I got my own office. It did take awhile to clean the office, but by the time I was done, it seemed worth it. I had to admit that it felt weird having my own office at young age, but it felt great to know there were so many in the Thirteenth who gave me so much respect, but at the same time, I knew they looked down at me as the baby of the family all the same. I soon started to fill the bookcases with books on fighting and defending, as well as medications and how to make them. Before long, I was order all sorts of herbs and bottles, as well as tools to make medications.

Only about after a week, though, two members I heard getting called drunken bastards from time and time again came into my office. Saluting, they cried out in unison, "Lieutenant Karaguwa! Captain Ukitake is feeling ill today and wishes for you to be in charge of the division, ma'am!"

I didn't look up from the medication I was making as I told them in a mutter, "Hold on." As I slowly started to finish up with the medication, I asked, "What about dad not feeling well, again? And don't call me lieutenant, let alone ma'am. I'm only a teenage kid."

"The captain wants you to take over for him today" they cried out.

I quickly finished up with the medicine and put it away in a bottle before putting it inside my desk. Away and locked up. Getting up with a nervous sigh, I said, "Creature of Day and Night, Shinigami form." When Takikanto appeared next to me, we gave one another a slight nod. Turning to the two third seats, I said, "Let's get going to the training room, then, you two."

While we headed down the hall to the training room, Kiyone Kotetsu, the girl and also the sister of the Fourth Squad's lieutenant, quickly asked, "Is there any chance that we could get away with being the only ones helping out with the training while not doing the actual practice itself?"

Takikanto quickly hit her across back of the head, sternly saying, "Just because she's only sixteen year old child and recently got ofered even as far as captain seating doesn't mean she'll go easy on you two just because you asked!"

By that point, we arrived at the training room. As the two third seats ran into the crowd of the Thirteenth Squad members, the ,members just ignored me and Takikanto as they continued with their conversations loudly. I yelled as loud as I could, "Guys! Quiet down so we can start!" When they continued to ignore me, I looked down at Takikanto, who nodded slightly and roared, which immediately got the attention of the all the members, almost as though they thought that there really was a wild animal. Smiling, I said, "Good. At least that got your attention." Starting to pace in front o the room as Takikanto sat down while remaining in her panther form, I told the squad, "I am sure that you have seen me around the headquarters when Captain Ukitake took me in to take care of me after my death two years ago. But I'm not sure how many of you have heard the news that I am acting as your vice captain until an official one is found." As they all started to talk once more, I boomed, "Silence!" The room became sielnt once more and I asked, "Where did Captain Ukitake leave you all last at in terms of your trainings?"

"Attack and defense, ma'am!" one of the members answered. "All we ever practiced on is mainly our defense, though."

Sighing, I muttered, "We have to go all the way to the beginning." Clearing my throat, I asked the division, "How many of you know your zanpakuto's powers? Let alone your zanpakuto's name?"

Another member suddenly shot at me, almost out of hope to try and deraile me away, "Then what's _your_ zanpakuto's element?"

I took out my zanpakuto blade to look at the yin-yang circle on the blade before showing it to the members while glancing down at Takikanto, "My zanpakuto is a special type that does not have a specific element. Mine consists of ground and water. White represents shikai, which controls mainly the ground. Black represents the bankai, which control mainly the water. The yin-yang circle is to represent that 'all is one'. Our captain and Captain Kyoraku of the Eighth Division are the only two shinigamis, and will be the only two as far to our knowledge, to have twin zanpakuto since their zanpakuto were created to go form one to two when zanpakuto of theirs are released into shikai." Putting the blade away, I continued, "And if you have observed other captains and vices, you should have noticed that Captain Yamamoto's element is fire. Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth most likely with flowers. Captain Hitsugaya of the Tenth most likely being ice over other things."

"Do you know of Captain Kuchiki's sister's?" someone quickly asked.

Thinking after awhile, I replied, "I have only observed mostly captains and other vices, but I am tempted to say from what I heard of her from Ukitake taicho is that she works with ice types as well, just like Captain Hitsugaya."

"And we heard that you got hospitalized because you were stabbed during your training," someone cried out. "I thought you said Captain Ukitake and Captain Shunsui were the only ones with twin zanpakutos! If that's so, how come the man you fought with during your training had what appeared to be twin zanpakuto as well? Everyone started to whisper among themselves curiously, and I looked down at Takikanto, who let out a loud roar to quiet everyone down once more.

Crossing my arms, I said, "There are some that are used to fighting with two blades. With him, his shikai seems to be allowing his blades to turn into claws like a wild animal, such as panthers, lions and wolves. So instead of being twin zanpakutos, it may merely be a single zanpakuto with ability to separate itself to create various blades for claws." Looking over to Takikanto, I gave her a small nod as she quickly shifted into her shinigami form as I ordered, "Alright! Now all of you get up on your feet! We're going to start training! All of you grab a partner for today's training session!" As everyone started to team up with someone, I quickly told Takikanto, "You start training them and help them out." I ran out of the room before Takikanto could complain. As I wandered around aimlessly as I quickly tightened the lieutenant badge around my arm, I muttered, "There's gotta be a divsiion I could observe today. First is bit too scary to approach. Second is all about assassination related things. Third has to do with despair. Fourth is all about healing and cleaning the Soul Society. I'm not even interested in Fifth. Sixth is a bit too uneasy for me to approach knwoing their captain may be in. I don't want to ave to bother bumping into Eighth Squad's captain for the time being. I should avoid going into Tenth Squad after hearing about their captain's spiritual energy. I've observed Eleventh a bit too much. Twelfth should be avoided completely if I want to avoid being a lab rat." After awhile, I stopped in front of the Ninth Squad Headquarters and stared up at the building for a moment or two before heading inside to wander around for a little while. When I came across a training room, I slowly opened the door and peeked inside.

"Once in this squad, I will be your lieutenant," I heard a familiar voice say. I recognized that voice and it was the voice of one shinigami that always made my heart skip a beat whenever around him. I quickly went inside as quietly as possible and closed the door behind me, careful not to make a single sound, and sat down against a wall as Shuhei Hisagi, the lieutenant, continued, "The captain may have left with Aizen and Ichimaru, but as long as I'm around, it'll continue as though nothing happened, and as though he was never a captain here to begin with." He continued to talk, but I could have told just by looking at his expression that he didn't entirely believe it himself. Kaname Tosen had been his captain ever since he graduated, so it would naturally be hard for him to fully leave it all behind him by saying Tosen was never his captain to begin with. Or at least that's how it appeared to me. When I realized he had stopped talking, he was looking directly at me, almost as though trying to igure out exactly who I was, as he said, "Take a break! We'll continue with what kind of things I'll be expecting from those that get into this squad when I call you all back in." As the shinigamis got up and started to ile out of the room, I hurriedly got up and went out with them, hoping that he wouldn't get a good hold of me, let alone see my beet red face as I felt my heart pick up and started to pound in my chest.

As I hurried down the hall to try and get out of the Ninth Headquarters, I felt a hand grab me by the arm and, before I knew it, I was being dragged into one of the rooms. When the door closed, Lutheran's voice said, "Now, why would a shinigami as beautiful as yourself be here in the Ninth Division Headquarters?"

Just as I turned to look at him, he had me pinned up against the wall with an arm just above my head as he leaned in slightly as he rested his head against his arm to look down at me. Just looking up at him calmly, I replied, "I just wanted to observe other divisions. This division just happened to be the first that had come into mind, and I wanted to see the style of this squad's fighting techniques." As I ducked slightly to get away, I sad, "But I was actually on my way back to the headquarters. After seeing the lieutenant, I'm not sure if I'll be able to focus well. And I have a feeling you don't want me here for serious reasons."

Lutheran quickly grabbed my wrist as he cried out, "Wait! No! Don't go!" When I turned to look at him, Lutheran quickly withdrew his hand, quietly saying, "I mean, I never sai dI wanted you to just leave like that. I actually want you to stay around the headquarters."

When I saw him blushiing slightly, I muttered to myself, "I have to get out before Hisagi fukutaicho catches me and scolds me for being here for no reason." Looking around, I quickly asked, "I actually have to go, truth be told. Ukitake taicho's actually sick and I left my zanpakuto spirit in charge of training the Thirteenth. I really do have to get back to train them myself."

"I'll come with you and help you train them!" Lutheran cried out rather eagerly.

Sighing, I knew there was no way to get away from him easily. I just didn't have the heart to tell him that it was his lieutenant that I had my heart longed for, while at the same time, I knew I shouldn't be leading him on into thinking that he had a chance. That is, unless if I was able to turn down if I ever ended up confessing my feelings for Hisagi Shuhei directly. Opening the door, I quietly told him, "Fine. But if we bump into Hisagi Shuhei and getting into trouble from him, I'm blaming you." I quickly looked outside before hurrying down the hall once certain that he lieutenant wasn't around, and Lutheran followed right behind me.

When we were almost out, Shuhei stepped in front of us as he said, "Was there something you needed from my squad, miss? Or are you here to join?"

I quickly lowered my head nervously, stammering, "N–No, sir. I w–was j–just on my w–way out." I felt my face burn bright as I rushed past him and ran straight for the Thirteenth Headquarters.

Lutheran quickly followed me out as he snapped, "What was that all about? What's going on?"

Without looking at him, I snapped in return without thinking, "None of your business! I have no problem with Hisagi fukutaicho whatsoever in any way!"

Lutheran sounded confused as he told me, "I never said you had any problems with the lieutenant." Soon , he sounded a bit disappointed as he asked, "Do you have a crush on that guy or something? Is that it?"

As my face grew brigher in the face, I turned to look at him as I yelled without thinking, "That's none of your business, alright? Whether I have a crush on him or not is my business, no one else's, so back off!" He looked slightly surprised and taken aback as I quickly said more calmly, "Sorry. Didn't mean to yell." As I looked up at the Thirteenth Squad Headquarters, I headed inside with Luteran right behind me.

The members all soon came running over as they cried out happily, "Miss Karaguwa! Takikanto said you've told her to tell us that you promised us training when you came back before you took off to observe other squads, so will you train with us now?"

As the members closest to me hugged me, I laughed as I replied with a bright smile, "Yeah, sure. Let's get to training now." Smiling teasingly, I asked all of them, "Is Takikanto not good enough to train with?"

The members shuddered as one of them replied, "She's going a bit too harsh on us again. Scaring us more than you normally do. We don't mind being pushed to doing our best, but you just seem like the better choice when it comes to training. You go easier than she does majority of the time, after all."

Trying hard not to laugh, I said, "Alright, alright. Back in the building! I'll train with you guys!" All the members took off running back inside and it wasn't long before I followed them calmly.

Lutheran followed me as he said, "You seem well liked around here."

"I'm the baby of the family, but one of the strongest at the same time. Only expected, even if I'm just a teenage kid," I said almost as though out of boredom. "And they really haven't seen anyone grow strong so quickly in just two years, getting out o school within a year and a half and becoming a lieutenant in just half a year. They just happen to favor me due to pointers I try to give them. You have problems with any of it? Get out. I have to check up on my captain before training his members."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

It has been several weeks already since that day had come and gone. Yet, it seemed as though it had been just yesterday. Yet again, Ukitake had gained his health back so I couldn't say much about it. But one day in the late afternoon, he had come up to me into my office. Knocking on the open door, he asked, "Ichimutsu, there's a mission I'd like to send you out on with a group of this squad's members."

Finally my first actual mission had come. Looking up at him with excitement and bright smile, I asked rather to quickly and hopefully, "Sure, dad! What is it?"

"Some of my members that I sent out past few days haven't been making it back, and I was hoping you could go out with several of the members to see what's going on," Ukitake explained. "I was hoping it would be alright with you that you had gone with them tonight."

Quickly getting up and grabbing my sword, I cried out, "I'll take them with me right now! I want to go as soon as possible!" I should have just sat still instead, because I was showing way too much enthusiasm. I didn't care much, though, because before this, I haven't been taken way too seriously. Now, I was able to show what I was truly made of for a teenage child.

As I rushed past him and out the door, I heard Ukitake chuckle as he called, "Don't jump into things too quickly! Make sure you call for backup if necessary!" When the ones that were supposed to go with me saw me rushing out, they quickly followed as I heard Ukitake call out just before I was out the headquarters, "And be careful, Ichimutsu! This is only your first mission!"

After the group and I were far out from the outskirts of the Soul Society, I asked the group, "Where were the disappearances mainly happening?"

"Near a forest, Miss Karaguwa," one of the members replied.

"Take me there immediately," I said in a low, harsh voice. The group did as I asked, and by the time we arrived, darkness had fallen upon us. As we walked at a slow pace, carefully, I looked around in a cautious manner as I loudly ordered, "All of you, stick close to me! As your acting lieutenant, I refuse to allow anything to happen to you guys! And if I tell you to run, do as I say!"

After a few long minutes that seemed like hours had passed by, I felt a sudden high pressure come out of nowhere near us, and it wasn't long after that when a gasp from somewhere behind me was heard. I swiftly turned and saw one of the members with what seemed like black claw going through her back and to her chest. Her eyes were wide with horror as she looked right at me, blood streaming down from corner of her lips, and her last words were, "Karaguwa-dono, I'm sorry. I tried my," but before she could even finish her sentence, she died.

I heard a fowl laughter from the darkness as an eerie male voice said, "It's a shame this one had to die like this. But it'll be fun killing all of you just the same."

I managed to keep my calm as I muttered, "Nayako-san, I'm the one that's sorry to have failed protecting you." Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I yelled, "Rest of you! Retreat! Get back to Thirteenth and get back up immediately!" I didn't have to look at any of them to tell they didn't want to leave me alone until I screeched, "NOW! This one is too powerful for all of you!" In a split second, they were all gone. All flashstepping at this point to get back to get more members. Hopefully Ukitake as well.

The hollow stepped out into the moonlight and, from what I could see, this hollow looked like a large hawk as he eerily said, "You're a brave one, aren't you? How old are you?"

I unsheathed my blade a bit too swiftly as I hissed, "Sixteen years old, but you don't need to know to that, do you? You will die for having killed my father's member, after all!"

I flashstepped behind him and brought my blade down. Before I knew it, he had blocked it and it wasn't long before we were in a full, all-out fight. I was beat up pretty badly after awhile, but I didn't want to give up. No. Wrong words. I COULDN'T give up. Not for my dad's sake. And not for the Thirteenth Squad's sake. The hollow lingered over me as he let out a loud, screeching of a laughter. "Kill me? That's what you said, wasn't it? It looks like it won't be me that'll be killed, rather you being the one to be killed, child! Say your last goodbye's to this world!"

Just as he started to bring his claws down at me to finish me off, I screamed with pain. Something was happening to me. I don't know what, but something was happening. But when I did stop screaming, I realized the hollow was gone. My breath was heavier, and I felt as though I didn't have control over my own body. I felt my hands come up to my face against my will, but I saw something that I shouldn't have been seeing. My hands and arms weren't human hands and arms. Instead, they were white paws. It didn't register in my head at first, but I realized after awhile with horror that I had gone over my limits. Something that was not acceptable in the eyes of Soul Society.

It wasn't long before I heard Ukitake's voice yell, "Stop! What have you done to the orange haired girl?" When I looked over to where the voice had come from, I saw Ukitake with his blade out, pointing it right at me. A look of fury was on his face, and I didn't know what to do or say. I have never seen him this angry at me before. Ever. I wanted to tell him that it was me, but nothing came out, no matter how hard I tried, but an angry growls and roars like a wild cat. I heard him mutter angrily, "I'll see I'll have to kill you off before I go find her." He came charging right at me and began to strike me rather harshly.

After a few strikes, I felt my body change as flew back a few yards, blood splattering everywhere. I saw look of shock and horror come across Ukitake's face as I barely managed to say, "Dad, why? Why did you attack me?" Everything went dark and cold. I was completely knocked out cold from that one final blow.

That horrible day of the day I was murdered from my human life kept playing over and over in my sleep. The entire time I saw it all happen countless of times, it was as though someone had put it to a fast forward that I could not stop. After who knows how many times of seeing it, I sat up, crying and sleeping, only to find myself in my room with Ukitake fast asleep sitting in a chair next to my bed, slouched over, with one of my hands between his. I saw dry tear marks on his face reflect off from the moonlight that was coming in from my window and I got out of bed, careful not to wake him, and walked over to the window to look outside. It was still fairly dark and I still could remember clearly what had happened just before I passed out cold.

I couldn't stay. I couldn't cause any danger to anyone. Not to the Thirteenth. Not to Soul Society. Most importantly, not to Ukitake. Not after all he's done for me. He was not just my captain. He was not just my guardian. More importantly than those, he was my dad. He acted as my dad, and was always there for me no matter what. I walked over to my desk and quickly wrote a goodbye note. When I was done, I hurriedly packed my bag with all the medical files I've made, as well as all the ingredients and medications that I would need. Grabbing the cloak that Ukitake had first given me, I put it on when kissing Ukitake on back of his head and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I tearfully said in a hushed tone, "I'm sorry I have to do this, dad. I love you. I always will. You were the only one that were like a real parent to me. Good bye, dad."

With just that, I left the headquarters and made my own senkai to get out to the World of Living. I didn't feel any presence approach me, but before I stepped through the senkai, I heard a familiar voice say, "What are you dong, Ichimutsu? Are you betraying the Soul Society?"

Without turning to look, I quietly snapped, "I suggest you leave too before you get caught yourself, Lutheran. Something's happened to me that I'm leaving before I become a harm to the Soul Society. Just because you're manipulating your spiritual energy doesn't mean you'll be able to fool everyone in Soul Society that you're a shinigami when you're not."

I knew just by the silence that he was surprised a bit at my statement. After a short while, he asked, "But how did you know that I wasn't one?"

"Are you really that dumb, Lutheran? I felt your energy waver slightly," I hissed. "I even felt it when Ukitake took me out to the World of Living to get my body to make a gigai. He was just being nice for not saying anything, but that doesn't mean that I'm a fool. I learned from one of the best to detect quickly. You better think quick before you get caught by the other top four, Lutheran, because if this is to get to even the Head Captain himself, he'll surely kill you off without hesitation."

I didn't wait for his response as I quickly stepped through the senkai. Tears freely streamed down my cheeks as I shunpo'd down the hall to the other end. When I reached the end of the hall and the closed gate, I opened it and stepped out to the World of Living. Looking around at the unfamiliar town, I cried hysterically as I muttered an apology to Ukitake and the Thirteenth Squad under my breath over and over again.

I found my gigai with ease and began to wander around in the streets. I must've looked like I was drunk because I was keep stumbling, but nothing much could be done when I wasn't fully recovered still. A police stepped out of her car as she said, "Hey, kid, what are you doing? Which household are you of?"

I kept mumbling, "I'm sorry, dad. I didn't mean to leave. I didn't mean to. But I had to. I'm sorry, dad. I'm really sorry." Those were the only things I muttered and the police kept questioning me. I was so out of it. I didn't even bother to reply to her. Or at least I thought I replied to her when I really wasn't. But it wasn't long before I was put behind the bars of the police station.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Several days have passed and the police that arrested me opened the cell door as she softly said, "Hey, kid, come out. I want to ask you a few things."

Dazed, I weakly got up and walked out of the cell. I hadn't eaten anything that the police station had provided me. To say the least, I calmed down from crying. She took me to a room with a mirror and had me sit down as I quietly said, "What is it that you want to ask, ma'am?"

"I'm Sandra Chambers. First thing's first," she said with a small sigh. "What's your name?"

"Ichimutsu Karaguwa, ma'am," I quietly replied. Takikanto appeared in her panther form right next to me and I knew that the woman couldn't see her, and for that I was relieved.

Sandra laughed lightheartedly as she said, "You can't be Ichimutsu Karaguwa. Even this town got the word that she had died long ago."

"Do you believe that there are monsters that can't be seen but by the dead, lady?" I asked her as I looked up at her with dazed look. She blinked with confusion as I barely managed to let out a laughter, saying, "Of course not. Why would anyone believe such things? I've seen more than what others can see. No one will believe me but Ichigo Kurosaki from Karakura Town. He's the only well known among me and those like me."

Sandra had looked over her shoulder and I noticed her nodding ever so slightly as she asked, "Would you feel more comfortable talking to the Kurosaki boy then, kid?"

"I bet you anything he'll refuse to come," I said. I didn't recognize myself as I said that for that statement had come out in a weird manner. Almost as though I was saying it with bit of bitterness and in a evil sense.

The door opened as an unfamiliar voice snapped, "I've heard of a orange haired kid dying when my dad tried to save her, so I had to come when I heard there was another orange haired kid in my town. You must be the talk among the police."

The police left the room and when I looked up at the new person, I saw that he had bright orange hair, just like me, and he looked like he was a fighter and a harsh person as well. Almost out of it, I asked, "Who are you?"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" he growled. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki! Everyone should know that by now! And the microphones are turned off as I asked, so start talking, ya little punk!"

My eyes grew wide with horror. "Ichigo Kurosaki? The one well known among the Gotei?" He suddenly blinked with confusion as I begged, "Kurosaki, please! Don't tell anyone of the Gotei Thirteen that I've escaped! I beg you! I had to get out! I had to run away! I couldn't afford to be a harm to the Soul Society! I just couldn't! Please, Kurosaki! Please! I beg you! I can't go back to the Thirteenth Squad! I can't face my dad there! I can't face him ever! I can't let them find me, Kurosaki!"

Ichigo pulled a chair over from by the wall and sat down across from me as he asked, "What's going on? But, first, tell me your name."

"First, promise me that you won't rat me out to Soul Society, Kurosaki," I begged him. "I don't want to have to die. I'm too young, Kurosaki! I already died only a few years ago as a 14 year old! I can't die again! I'm only a 16 year old!"

He suddenly frowned deeply. "Which town did you live in if you died several years ago, then?"

Closing my eyes, I admitted in hushed tone with fear, "I used to live in a town called Harukiodate. I used to attend the top middle school any place in Japan could offer."

Ichigo sighed as he said, "Then you're that Ichimutsu Karaguwa or whatnot that my dad tried to save but was never able to make it in time to. And your energy was the unusual energy I've been sensing all the way out here in my town all those years ago that I haven't sensed until recently. I've seen your name in my family clinic's cabinet file." Sitting back, he said, "Before I promise anything, tell me what happened, you punk."

I didn't open my eyes as I quietly said, "I know you have hollow powers, Ichigo Kurosaki. I've even heard you trained under Shinji Hirako, the former Fifth Squad Captain, and his gang."

Ichigo looked a bit alarmed as he demanded, "How do you know as far as that?"

"I'm equal to a captain ranking, Ichigo Kurosaki," I hissed. "I accomplished shikai and bankai in just over two years. I can sense that you have a hollow. I have a sharp eye, Kurosaki." Opening my eyes to look at him, I said, "And I also did all my researches to know what I need to know. Do you know why I fled?" When he didn't reply, I said, "I fled for the same reason as Hirako and his gang has. So that I wouldn't bring harm to the Soul Society. I've passed my limits against my own wills, and the second Soul Society is to know of this, I'll be sentenced to death. I'll be considered a great threat. That's why I can't go back. That's why I can't be caught. So, please, Kurosaki. Please don't sell me out to the Soul Society."

There was what seemed like long period of silence. But when that long while was over, he said, "How did you gain your hollow powers?"

As tears welled up at my eyes, I took a deep calming breath in as I said, "I was out on my first mission as an acting lieutenant for my dad's squad. He asked me specifically to go since I was his acting lieutenant." My entire body began to shake as I tried to keep calm from crying as I continued, "The group that was assigned to me and I went to the forest were some troubles among the the squad seemed to happen. Since it was the Thirteenth, I had to do something. I had to take action. So I did. I did as asked. Especially since it was my squad. But my group and I ran into trouble. We ran into a strong, powerful hollow, so I had to tell my squad to run back to the Thirteenth Squad to get back up. I managed to take out the hollow. I really did, but I went over my limit without my own knowledge."

Ichigo quickly shushed me and the door began to open as he asked without taking his eyes off of me, "What can I help you with?"

A male voice said, "I wanted to check if you kids wanted anything to drink."

"No, it's alright," Ichigo said. "I'll take her out somewhere after I'm through talking to her here. And it also may be best if she was checked up on by my dad as well afterward. Now, please leave. I want to talk to her more in private." When the police left, he waited a little while before he asked, "Who's this dad that you're referring to? I thought you were of the Karaguwa family."

"You're right. I'm of Karaguwa family," I replied as tears continued to stream down uncontrollably. "I'm from a filthy rich family with great amount of power. But my dad is Joushiro Ukitake himself. He took care of me the way my parents never have. He cared for me like no one else has. He was more real of a parent to me than anyone else. I'll admit I'm not related to him by blood, but he's like a father to me."

Ichigo merely sighed and he started to look as though he was lost deep in thoughts. He was heard muttering, "I can't turn her in after hearing all this. I can't do it knowing what kind of man that Ukitake guy is either. What can I do asides from taking her to dad? Maybe Mr. Hats-and-Clogs? He's not really on Soul Society's side fully and entirely either." He looked frustrated as he scratched back of his head, crying out, "Alright! I give! I won't tell the Soul Society! But not because you asked me to! I'm doing it because I know what a nice guy that Ukitake guy is! I don't want to hurt a harmless guy like him! You hear?"

Just before passing out, I managed to mutter, "Thank you, Kurosaki." With just that, I felt my head hit the table and everything had gone pitch black.

It was matter of moments before my nightmare began once more like almost all the other nights. I knew it all started again when I heard my middle school's principal's voice cry out in the P.A. system, _"Everyone, please report to the nearest classroom immediately! Everyone report to the nearest classroom immediately! Harin Wong is armed with a gun at the West Wing Hall! Everyone report to the nearest room!"_

I opened my eyes and looked around and saw that I was back in my middle school, and when I had looked down at my clothes, iti was my school uniform rather than my shinigami outfit. I even held my martial arts uniform in my hands, and even though I was slightly lost, I immediately started running towards the West Wing Hall. When I reached where Harin, one other student and two teachers were, the first thing I noticed was that Harin was holding a gun as she swung her arms around violently, screeching, "Get away from me! I swear I'll shoot!"

I dropped my martial arts clothes on the ground and slowly started to walk towards Harin. Keeping my voice calm and steady, I said, "Harin, put the gun down. Let's talk this out!"

Turning to me, Harin pointed the gun at me, aiming it directly at my chest, as she screeched, "Stay away from me! I'll shoot you! Stay away!"

I started to panic and my speaking rate increased as I cried out, "Harin! Put the gun down! I just want to talk friend to friend!" Continuing to walk towards her, I added, "Please! I just want to talk this out with – !" The sound of a gunshot went off and I sat up in a bed, screaming with horror. I started to screech, "NO! Harin! Don't! Put the gun down! PUT THE GUN DOWN!"

I cried hysterically as Takikanto sat at the edge of my bed in her human form, crying out as she held me by the shoulders, "Ichimutsu! Calm down! You're dreaming again!" She quickly pulled me into a hug, saying as she calmly patted my back, "It's all nothing but dream of a memory, Sixteen! Hush!"

As I cried uncontrollably, I heard an unfamiliar male voice say from within the shadows of the dark room, "Seems like someone's finally woken up after days of sleep. Good thing I've had a few proper equipments come into the clinic to give you the nutrients that you needed in your body." As he turned the light on, I saw that he had black hair and I felt as though I've seen him in one of the books I've read. Smiling, he said to me, "Nice to meet you, Ichimutsu Karaguwa. I'm Isshin Kurosaki. It's finally nice to see the girl that I wasn't able to save three or more years ago to see how the child's turned out after all this time."


End file.
